Michigan State Football: An outlook on the offensive line situation for 2025

During the season, Michigan State football and the offensive consistently struggled to generate a push or keep Aidan Chiles upright.

Outside of resurgent games against Iowa and Michigan, the Spartans were ripped apart by Big Ten teams whenever they tried to run. As a result, there were games when Chiles would be the leading rusher, with the quarterback only having 40 or so yards. This struggle was really showcased against Indiana, where the Spartan leading rusher was receiver Alante Brown on his two jet sweeps for 15 yards.

With the Spartans graduating their three starting interior offensive linemen alongside losing Dallas Fincher to the portal, who are some Spartans both in the offensive line room, coming into the program, and some targets?

Scholarship players with experience

OT Stanton Ramil (Last season: RS-Fr, 12 games played, 9 starts)

Stanton Ramil was a highly-touted four-star early enrollee from the 2023 class. Unfortunately for Ramil, an injury robbed him of his freshman season. He got on the field in a playing time battle with graduate senior Brandon Baldwin this year, and became the full-time starter after Baldwin got bumped inside to guard following a rash of injuries on that side. Ramil played relatively decent, with his left side of the line grading out more favorably than the right. He has room for improvement and a full offseason to bulk up, which should help the Alabama native.

OT Ashton Lepo (Last season: RS-So; Career: 24 games played, 12 starts)

Ashton Lepo returns on the right side of the line as the most experience played on the line in the green and white. Lepo recorded the first 12 starts of his career at right tackle this season, but was relieved by the freshman trio of Rakeem Johnson, AJ Dennis, and Rustin Young at points. He showed a lot of first-year starting struggles, and is a player with a lot to prove heading into his junior season. Without the statistics in front of me, it is hard to say, but I am pretty confident Lepo was the most penalized Spartan in 2024. The Illinois game, in particular, was a struggle for Lepo. He got beat on the first third down of the game and it did not get much better. He is a player with potential, but not an assured starting spot in 2025.

OG Kristian Phillips (Last season: RS-So; Career: 12 games played, 1 start)

Kristian “Big Dooley” Phillips was a player many of us were hoping to see star this year, myself included. He was one of the best graded Michigan State football players via PFF in week one, providing a lot of spark and excitement for the future against FAU. Unfortunately, Phillips suffered a season ending late in year one, and his season was over before it even really began. He has been one of the more vocal leaders during the start of this offseason for MSU, and I believe a massive comeback season is in the works for Big Dooley.

OG/OT Rakeem Johnson (Last season: Freshman, 4 games played, 1 start)

Rakeem Johnson is the fourth most experienced lineman returning to the Spartans this year. The true freshman played in four games to preserve his redshirt, and saw the field for a decent amount of time in all of them. He made his first career start in a 38-7 loss to Ohio State. While it was not an amazing season, as the Illinois game was another struggle game for the freshman, Johnson is a player that many people are penciling in as a starter or sixth man for the Spartan line next season. At a severely undersized 6-foot-3, Johnson held his own when placed at tackle out of necessity.

OG Gavin Broscious (Last season: RS-So, 3 games played, 2 starts)

Gavin Broscious was the next man up for the Spartans following the injury to Kristian Phillips. He missed his redshirt freshman season with an injury, but was fully healthy and ready to go for 2024. Over the summer, Broscious was consistently mentioned as a player who would be competing for serious time on the line. When Phillips was down, Broscious was ready. He made his first career start against Maryland and was in for likely his final drive of the Prairie View A&M game when an injury ended his season for the second consecutive year. He is another player primed for a bounce back season as a junior. Additionally, both he and Phillips have a good shot at a medical redshirt once their eligibility ends, if they so desire.

OT Andrew Dennis (Last season: Freshman, 2 games played)

Andrew Dennis was a player that had a weird recruitment, with the freshman originally committed to Michigan State football, and then flipped to Illinois amidst the Mel Tucker saga. The lineman got homesick during his first semester in Illinois, and hit the portal in the spring to come home. Jonathan Smith worked the phone lines, and Dennis was a Spartan, as was the plan all along. Dennis was the third offensive lineman freshman to see the field this year, playing for the final kneel down against Prairie View A&M. He would receive more playing time in one more game this year, late in the Ohio State contest.

OT Charlton Luniewski (Last season: Freshman, 1 game played)

Charlton Luniewski was the second true freshman lineman off the bench, playing the final half dozen snaps against, you guessed it, Prairie View A&M. Recruiting sites had him slightly lower than his brother, Mercer, during the 2024 cycle, but Charlton was the first on the field this season.

OT Rustin Young (Last season: Freshman, 1 game played)

Rustin Young was a consensus four-star recruit from Hawaii out of high school, and one of the biggest wins when Smith brought him with from Oregon State. Despite his high rankings and impressive offer sheet, he was viewed as a prospect that might need a year or two to add on weight to play in the Big Ten. That was mostly true, as Young travelled and dressed for every game this season, but only played against Ohio State. He saw meaningful action, too. Young rotated in at tackle in the first half and then played when the game was out of hand late. With this year under his belt, he is a player I would say is a “making the leap” candidate.

Scholarship, but 0 games played

OL Payton Stewart (Last season: Freshman)

Payton Stewart was another Smith/Oregon State flip, with the On3 four-star following his coach to East Lansing. The Washington native did not dress for a game for the Spartans this season, which leads me to wonder if he suffered an undisclosed injury as a freshman that forced him to miss the season.

OL Mercer Luniewski (Last season: Freshman)

Mercer Luniewski was the higher rated twin out of high school, and was honored as a multi-time practice squad player of the week this season. However, unlike his brother Charlton, Mercer did not see the field this season. In part, this was due to Mercer not dressing against Prairie View, but the sixth and final true freshman lineman from the 2024 recruiting class should not be overlooked heading into next season.

OL Cole Dellinger (Last season: Redshirt Freshman)

Cole Dellinger was a four-star via ESPN and early enrolled at Michigan State, but has yet to see the field through his first two seasons. Dellinger is a player I cannot recall dressing for a game this season, nor did he travel, which leads me to believe he was in the same boat as Payton Stewart, with a potentially undisclosed injury. The Clarkston, Mich., native has ample room to step up for next season.

Incoming Freshmen

OL Justin Bell

Justin Bell is an imposing 6-foot-8 and has the frame coaches dream about. Seeing that it is the Big Ten, and Michigan State football has six freshmen finishing their redshirt, he likely redshirts in 2025. However, he is a player that could make a splash down the line.

OL Drew Nichols

Drew Nichols was a California prospect that Jonathan Smith is bringing to East Lansing. Nichols projects as an interior offensive lineman, and the Spartans had to beat out three playoff teams (SMU, Boise State, and Arizona State) to secure the commitment from the Murrieta Valley player. Nichols has the height and weight (6-foot-5, 270 pounds) where it would not be surprising for this staff to have him get his feet wet and play in a game or two next season.

Walk-ons with experience

OL Cooper Terpstra (Last season: RS-Fr, 10 games played)

Cooper Terpstra was primarily a special teams player this year, but also got into a few uncompetitive contests late. Terpstra is in the top 5 for most experienced Spartan lineman as of December 10, so he might be a surprise this season. Additionally, he was the only walk-on offensive lineman to travel this season. The one-time Grand Valley State commit is a sneaky option to eat up some snaps in 2025.

OG Jake Merritt (Last season: RS-So, 1 game played)

Jake Merritt was a player I was fortunate enough to interview this summer (read his story here), and had fought for playing time and earned his first career snaps last season. The Northville, Mich., native played a dozen snaps against Prairie View. However, he was seen with his hand in a brace late in the season, likely contributing to only a single game played in 2024. At 6-foot-6, 289 pounds, he is a tweener that will see an increased role in 2025 with four players graduating or moving on.

Untested walk-ons

OL Hayden Lorius, Kyler Brunan (Last season: Both Freshmen)

Hayden Lorius and Kyler Brunan are walk-ons from Michigan that Jonathan Smith brought on to the team in 2024. While neither received snaps this year, each made an impact on the staff, with both being named a Scout Team Player of the Week multiple times. Both have the frame for the interior offensive line, and last season proved that anyone could get their name called in that spot depending on the health front.

OL Rashawn Rogers

Rashawn Rogers is the most recent Spartan pledge, with the walk-on committing to the Spartans last week. Rogers brings size to the walk-on room, and flew under the radar in the 2025 recruiting cycle. He held an offer from Wayne State, but had visited Michigan State football for both camp and a visit during the Purdue game. He was offered a chance to walk on for next season, and has taken it.

Overall, this is a position group all of us will be watching heading into 2025. Jonathan Smith and staff are working overtime to improve this unit from the outside, and I am positive the strength and conditioning staff are improving them from the inside as well. There is a lot of portal action to monitor in the future, along with Antonio Johnson’s commitment. I can assure you, if there are three players in the portal with public Michigan State football offers and visits, there are 10s of more players with offers from MSU behind the scenes.